Page 6 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)

T-Bone

“D on’t say it.” She pursed her pink painted lips and pointed at me, her previously bare nails now a deep shade of red but she still held an air of strength about her. Don’t fuck with me wafted off her in waves.

I held up my hands defensively. “I haven’t said a word.

” But goddamn I was thinking a whole bunch of ‘em. I knew she was hot underneath that plain black suit, but this was not the same uptight woman who stormed into the garage an hour ago. Fuck no, this woman was a total smoke show. She had long legs, shapely and toned like she worked out regularly. Her thick brown hair now fell around her shoulders and down her back in soft waves. I would’ve preferred that the girls put her in something short and tight, but those skintight jeans sculpted her long legs and shapely ass.

The gap between her thighs begged for my cock, which was another thought I shouldn’t be having.

“You’re staring,” she growled at me and folded her arms.

“Sorry,” I said with a smile that said I wasn’t sorry at all. Those black leather shit kicker boots gave her a tough girl appeal but the leather and lace bustier showed off tits that were a perfect D-cup which drew my eyes. My mouth watered at the sight of her spilling over.

“Hey, my eyes are up here, Mister.”

I blinked to refocus on her face and flashed a teasing smile. “Yeah, but your tits are down there and they’re great.” I risked a quick look back down to the mounds of pale flesh and then back up at her. “Really fuckin’ great.”

Her scowl was adorable, especially when paired with that blush that crept up her neck and face. “You’re a menace,” she whispered, more to herself than to me.

“And the name’s T-Bone, not Mister .” I held out my hand, expecting her to stare at me or swat my hand away.

She surprised me when she grasped my hand and gave it a firm shake. “The name is Faith.” Her hand was soft and smooth, but her grip was strong.

Her touch seared my palm with heat and electricity. It was unexpected and unwanted. I pulled back quickly. Too quick.

Her green eyes widened with something that looked a lot like shock, but she hid it before I could get a read on it. It was an instinctive move that had me curious, but she looked around, anywhere but at me.

“Faith. I would’ve guessed Catherine. Or Marilyn.” There was something traditional about her, despite her non-traditional careers. “It’s nice to meet you, Faith.”

“You too, I think. Only time will tell.” She nibbled on her bottom lip and watched me again. She did that a lot, like she was always trying to gauge what was going on in someone’s mind.

“Lookin’ good.”

She rolled her eyes, but I heard the gasp of breath when I hooked an arm around her waist. “I feel ridiculous.” She tugged on the bottom of the bustier, but it didn’t budge.

“Seriously, Faith, you look hot as fuck, like you belong.” My gaze raked over her body one final time before I put my game face on. I couldn’t let the pretty not-a-cop distract me. “Of course you would look hotter if you smiled.” I knew that would piss her off and I wasn’t disappointed.

She inhaled a sharp breath, and her nostrils flared. “Why is it that men think telling a woman to smile will actually make her smile. Spoiler alert, T-Bone, I’m not trying to look hot or hotter. It is not my job to draw the male gaze.”

“You look too serious,” I cut in before her tirade went any further. “You want to look like a woman who’s out to have a good time, curious about the men she’s talking to and their exciting lives.” I shrugged. “Or you know, you can just not smile and end the night with no answers.”

Her gaze met mine, her scent wrapped around me, floral and earthy with just a hint of lemon. “I still feel ridiculous.”

“Well you look hot as fuck. Remember that. Ready?”

She nodded. “Ready.”

***

The rally was in full swing when we got there. Bikes lined up everywhere, engines roared, and loud music blared from all directions. It was madness. Perfect, loud, madness. “Beer?”

She nodded and tugged at her clothes again. “Yes, please.”

That breathy plea went straight to my cock, and I had to have a mental talk with him to calm the fuck down.

Just because she was hot and leggy didn’t mean I had to put my dick in her.

Didn’t mean I wanted her. Just that I thought she looked good.

Nothing more. “Let’s start with a shot to loosen you up. ”

“Screw you,” she mumbled even as she accepted the shot of whiskey I put in her hand. “Thanks.” Faith shook out her arms and legs, moved her head from side to side and then sighed. “Okay. Ready.” She batted her eyelashes and licked her lips. “I’m ready.”

Watching her transform from the uptight former cop into a good time party girl was surreal.

She smiled and it lit up her whole face, which drew almost as much attention as her legs.

And her ass. And those perfect tits. There was no trace of the woman who’d shown up, which made her more dangerous than I realized.

“Stop staring. It’s just makeup and boobs.”

She really had no clue, and that was just fine with me. The last thing I needed was a woman chasing after me. When I wanted a woman, I found one for the night and then I moved on. That was how I liked it and nothing—or no one—would change that. “Great fuckin’ boobs,” I whispered.

She laughed, actually threw her head back and laughed. “Men.” She settled into silence as we wove through the rally with a sexy smile on her face. When I stopped to chat with friends and frenemies alike, she was right there smiling and asking questions in a way that wasn’t intrusive.

I watched when she talked to people, the way her eyes tightened just a moment as if she was trying to mentally capture the information to go over later. It was fucking fascinating and by the time we caught up with other Steel Demons, I just wanted to know more.

“T-Bone, where the hell you been?” I heard Diesel’s frown before I saw it.

“Come on,” I tugged Faith with me, because the woman couldn’t be left on her own yet. “Somethin’ came up,” I answered and gave him and Rocky a quick rundown of the past hour.

“Shit, Pike’s sister?” Diesel let out a heavy breath and wiped his hands over his face. “Fuck. How is he?”

“Feeling no pain at the moment,” Faith answered and pointed to a spot about a hundred feet away. “That’s not normal, right?”

Diesel studied her for a long minute before he answered. “It’s fucked up is what it is.”

She nodded. “The only reason he wouldn’t do a death notice is because Mr. Kutner’s also a biker. Are they your rivals?” she asked innocently enough.

Rocky laughed. “Rivals? I wouldn’t say that, but we’re not friends either.”

She nodded. “But if you thought one of them killed his sister, that would change. Right?” Diesel’s gaze narrowed and she shrugged. “I’m just trying to figure out if Red Rock PD is protecting the Ghost Riders or if it’s run of the mill incompetence.”

That seemed to satisfy him. “Be careful. Don’t leave her side T-Bone.”

“Real hardship,” Rocky mumbled under his breath and walked off.

“You brought the cop,” Pike’s words slurred behind us.

Faith turned first and took a step back, hands braced and ready for combat. “I am not a cop,” she hissed through a smile.

“What the fuck ever. Close enough,” he shouted.

I grabbed his arm. “Shut the fuck up, man. I know you’re hurting, but keep your fuckin’ voice down.”

He blinked up at me and nodded. “Sorry brother.”

“It’s all right. I’m sorry too, about Ash.” I gripped his shoulder until his gaze met mine. “We’ll figure this out.”

“With her help,” he asked, pointing at Faith.

Faith took a step forward, her gaze full of sympathy.

“I don’t want to cause any problems Mr. Kutner, I promise.

I want to help. Yes, I have my own selfish reasons, but I think that finding the real person who killed your sister might help me find my niece.

” There was a sincerity in her face that Pike responded to.

“And if I find out what happened to Gemma before we have answers about Ashley, I won’t stop until we have those answers. ”

He frowned. “Why?”

“Two reasons. I think she might have been killed for trying to protect my niece.” Faith looked away with a guilty expression.

“Call me Pike. I don’t know who the fuck Mr. Kutner is.” He swayed a little, smiling gratefully at Faith when she steadied him. “What’s the other reason?”

Faith pulled out her phone and shoved the screen at Pike. “This.”

Pike stumbled backwards. “Where did you get that?” He looked at me and then back at the screen. “Where?”

Faith shook her head. “I only put it together when I saw this photo on your sister’s social media page. Look.” She swiped the screen and waited patiently. “This is Chloe’s. I think they got them together.”

I stepped behind Pike and looked at the pictures. Each woman had half a hummingbird tattooed behind their ear, the same one with fire-tipped wings. “Holy shit.”

Faith nodded again. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

Pike’s expression sobered and went pitch black. “Not here.” He stormed off, leaving us to follow him.

Faith walked beside me in long, confident strides but as she looked around the Rally she slowed down and put some extra swing in her hips.

Pike stopped abruptly and turned to us with a heavy expression.

“Ashley was helping someone, a woman and a kid. I don’t know how long, because she wouldn’t tell me the details, said it was safer if I didn’t know more.

” He shook his head. “I didn’t ask more because she was always helping people.

You remember,” he said as his gaze met mine.

“Yeah. I remember when she roped me into keeping a potbellied pig at my place for a month.” The damn thing had stunk to high hell but Pogo was so damn cute.

Pike laughed. “God, she smelled so bad. But that was Ash, you know?” He posed the question to Faith, who nodded.

“Chloe was definitely a woman in need of help and Ashley sounds like she was an incredible woman.” She studied him again, trying to figure him out. “Do you know anything about a jealous ex?”

“Ash doesn’t date,” he said. “I mean she didn’t date. Not since her last relationship imploded and that was years ago.”

“Chief Maynard says it was a jealous ex, but he didn’t give me a name and there’s no name in her case file.”

I frowned. “He gave you the case file?”

“No,” she admitted as her cheeks turned bright red. “There was a commotion, and I took advantage of it,” she looked away. “He was being an asshole. And a chauvinist pig,” she gave a sigh. “Did you ever see the little girl?”

“No, sorry. I only heard her laughing once from the porch.”

Something like hope flickered in her eyes but she banked it quickly and nodded. “Thank you, Mister, uh, Pike. And I am truly sorry about your sister.” She handed him her still untouched beer.